In colder climates, the build up of ice on vehicle windshield wiper blades is a common problem. The ice causes the wiper blades to operate poorly which is an annoyance to drivers and can become a significant road hazard if the visibility of the driver through the windshield is significantly reduced.
Various wiper heating devices have attempted to overcome the problem of ice build up on wiper blades by mounting a heating element in close proximity to or directly in engagement with the wiper blades. In order for the heating element to operate effectively it is generally required that the heating element directly engage the wiper.
Various examples of heating devices for windshield wipers are described in the following: WO2014121061 by Kleinsasser et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,721,382 by Malone, U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,337 by Lobner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,083 by Nielsen Jr et al, U.S. Pat. No. 8,431,870 by Kim et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,550,504 by Vidrick et al, and U.S. Pat. No.6,507,973 by Friesen.
Known heating devices however generally mount the heating element integrally within the wiper or wiper blade such that replacement of the wipers requires replacement of the heating element or portions thereof. The periodical replacement of the wipers can thus be expensive and requires time consuming assembly. Alternative arrangements allow for replacement of the heating elements, but in a cumbersome manner which requires significant re-wiring to take place. Alterative arrangements provide wiring which is exposed and unaesthetically pleasing.
Furthermore, known heating devices are generally difficult to connect to the existing wiring of the vehicle, requiring costly installation by trained technicians.